Frank Mir: Brock Lesnar's MMA career 'would have been different' without diverticulitis

For being a mixed martial arts (MMA) novice, Brock Lesnar did pretty well for himself during his tenure with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

After losing his Octagon debut to Frank Mir at UFC 81 five years ago, Lesnar went on to win the promotion's Heavyweight title, defeating UFC Hall of Famer and former two-division champion Randy Couture at UFC 91, just four fights into his MMA career.

That was right before he sent Heath Herring into retirement after beating him down so bad at UFC 87 that "Crazy Horse" was never heard from again ... at least in the MMA world.

Lesnar went on to defend his title twice, getting brutal revenge on Mir at UFC 100 and then scoring a come-from-behind submission victory over Shane Carwin at UFC 116. He would eventually cough up the coveted crown to Cain Velasquez at UFC 121.

That's when his ongoing battle with diverticulitis and a subsequent surgery sidelined him for more than one year, forcing him to ponder MMA retirement. And according to his bitter rival, Mir, had Lesnar never gotten the life-threatening stomach disease, Lesnar's MMA career would have been drastically different.

His words (via New York Post):

"Honestly, I think the guy got so ill, he just couldn't do it anymore. He had to leave or his quality of life wouldn't have been normal. We didn't get to see the Brock I fought. Had he not been ill, things would have been different."

Lesnar does not deal well with people not intimidated by him or his size. Multiple heavies now imo would beat him.

Cormier, Cain, JDS

Brock cannot hang with the top heavies imo

postman

4/17/13 10:25:36AM

Posted by george112

I disagree.

Same result would have happened in the Cain fight

Lesnar does not deal well with people not intimidated by him or his size. Multiple heavies now imo would beat him.

Cormier, Cain, JDS

Brock cannot hang with the top heavies imo

I agree. He came in at the right time made a huge wave but the shark tank started to fill up and he didn't have the skills to win. He did well for himself beat great fighters he just had a short window.

LuckyCharms

4/17/13 10:33:44AM

I have to completely disagree with the last part in the article. " After all, it was through Lesnar's blood, sweat and tears that the promotion is as successful as it is today."

Lesnar added benefit to UCF growth to casual fans and WWE fans. But when Lesnar enter, UCF was already started growing in mainstream. It was the blood, sweat, and tears of the early UCF workers behind the scene that made UCF successful as it is today.

I hate how writers completely based the success of a sport on one single individual.

FastKnockout

4/17/13 11:37:15AM

Mir just doesn't want to admit he was smashed by Lesnar when Cain and Overeem made it look easy.

BillsNewAccount

4/17/13 11:39:36AM

Dana says he's close to making Fedor v Brock happen.

george112

4/17/13 11:51:18AM

Posted by BillsNewAccount

Dana says he's close to making Fedor v Brock happen.

fedor via R1 RNC

Shawn91111

4/17/13 11:56:35AM

Had he not gone to the WWF and went straight into mma after college I think Brock would have been very dominate

george112

4/17/13 12:12:38PM

Posted by Shawn91111

Had he not gone to the WWF and went straight into mma after college I think Brock would have been very dominate

and you know what i agree with that.

his physique would have been totally different imo also. more flexible. which would havd helped alot imo.

His movements have never been fluid, he needs that to succeed.

Anderson-FluidJones-FluidGSP - Not as fluid, but his training has taught him how to be enough to winBenson-FluidCain-Fluid

you get it :D

postman

4/17/13 12:20:46PM

Posted by Shawn91111

Had he not gone to the WWF and went straight into mma after college I think Brock would have been very dominate

But no where near as rich

jae_1833

4/17/13 12:24:04PM

I don't know about Cain, but I think the Overeem fight could have been different. Brock couldn't take a body shot after his surgery.

Goatenstein

4/17/13 12:24:15PM

Posted by LuckyCharms

I have to completely disagree with the last part in the article. " After all, it was through Lesnar's blood, sweat and tears that the promotion is as successful as it is today."

Lesnar added benefit to UCF growth to casual fans and WWE fans. But when Lesnar enter, UCF was already started growing in mainstream. It was the blood, sweat, and tears of the early UCF workers behind the scene that made UCF successful as it is today.

I hate how writers completely based the success of a sport on one single individual.

When did Lesnar go to Central Florida?

prozacnation1978

4/17/13 1:44:56PM

Instead of 2002 being in WWE,If he started in MMA. He could have been Ufc champ for quite a while. He would have smoked lil Timmy and The pit bull

frizzzlecake

4/17/13 2:39:24PM

In my opinion the best Brock Lesnar was the one that fought Heath Herring, coming off a Loss he looked hungry, agile, lean, and so quick for his size, and destroyed Heath. He should have stayed at that Minnesota camp with Sherk.

pmoney

4/17/13 2:48:38PM

I've always thought that not only his diverticulitis had something to do with how his career played out, but he was just brought along too quick in my opinion. His second fight was against Mir, third was Heath Herring, fourth was Couture for the title.

Look at Cain. He almost got ko'ed like three times against Kongo. Yeah he won, but he had those fights. He got to crush the Denis Stojnic's of the division and the Jake O'Brien's and Ben Rothwell's. I think Lesnar's celebrity status and the greed to make him champ by the powers that be didn't afford him that luxury.

Shawn91111

4/17/13 3:20:33PM

Posted by pmoney

I've always thought that not only his diverticulitis had something to do with how his career played out, but he was just brought along too quick in my opinion. His second fight was against Mir, third was Heath Herring, fourth was Couture for the title.

Look at Cain. He almost got ko'ed like three times against Kongo. Yeah he won, but he had those fights. He got to crush the Denis Stojnic's of the division and the Jake O'Brien's and Ben Rothwell's. I think Lesnar's celebrity status and the greed to make him champ by the powers that be didn't afford him that luxury.

Yup and thats where the whole WWF thing ties into, not only the long injuries and brutal things it did to his neck, back body etc but also his fame and celebrity status never would have allowed him to work his way up had he gone into mma after college.

bootyclause

4/17/13 5:31:10PM

he was underrated because of his background. Maybe he never would have stopped good subs or stood with elite strikers but he would have wrecked a lot of guys.

At the very least he was a modern version of Coleman or Randleman. Honestly he was better than those guys if you really watch the old fights.

Bubbles

4/17/13 9:42:27PM

Posted by LuckyCharms

I have to completely disagree with the last part in the article. " After all, it was through Lesnar's blood, sweat and tears that the promotion is as successful as it is today."

Lesnar added benefit to UCF growth to casual fans and WWE fans. But when Lesnar enter, UCF was already started growing in mainstream. It was the blood, sweat, and tears of the early UCF workers behind the scene that made UCF successful as it is today.

I hate how writers completely based the success of a sport on one single individual.